Mead: Federal Agencies Should Withdraw Interpretive Rule

Governor Matt Mead is opposing the interpretive rule proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The governor says the rule expands the Waters of the U.S., which is part of the Clean Water Act. In a letter to the administrator of the EPA and the head of the Corps, Governor Mead asked the agencies to withdraw the interpretive rule.

Governor Mead said the rule is expansive, obtrusive and substantive. He said he believes the rule "needs more thorough coonsideration and possibly congressional action before it is implemented.

Governor Mead said the Interpretive Rule creates new regulatory hurdles for people in agriculture. He added that the rule changes the natural resource conservation service standards into regulatory thresholds where they were previously optional guidance for best practices. Mead said the rule expands the federal government’s role and will also discourage landowner participation in conservation activities.